PROJECT FILE

ASSESSING SURFACE WATER AND SUB SURFACE WATER

QUALITY NEAR A LAND FILL SITE

2015

PROJECT REPORT
Submitted by,

ARJUN P.
JOSEMON BENNY
KEVIN AUGUSTINE
JINSHAD CHAKKINGAL

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

SCMS School of Engineering and Technology, Karukutty

Mahatma Gandhi University

SCMS School of Engineering and Technology, Karukutty

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

2015

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project work entitled ASSESSING SURFACE WATER
AND SUBSURFACE WATER QUALITY NEAR A LANDFILL SITE was presented by
Arjun P.,Kevin Augustine, Josemon Benny, Jinshad C.T. of seventh semester
civil engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of
Bachelor of Technology Degree in Civil Engineering under Mahatma Gandhi
University during the year 2015- 2016 under my guidance at SCMS School
Engineering and Technology, Karukutty.

Project Guide:

Anitha G Pillai

Remya Y.K.

Head of Department

Asst. Professor

Dept. of Civil Engineering

Dept. of Civil Engineering

Karukutty

INTRODUCTION
General
Municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal is a global concern, most especially in developing
countries across the world, as poverty, population growth and high urbanization rates
combine with ineffectual and under-funded governments to prevent efficient management of
wastes.
A land fill site is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of
waste treatment. Historically, landfills have been the most common method of organized
waste disposal and remain so in many places around the world. Some landfills are also used
for waste management purposes, such as the temporary storage, consolidation and transfer, or
processing of waste material (sorting, treatment, or recycling).
A landfill also may refer to ground that has been filled in with rocks instead of waste
materials, so that it can be used for a specific purpose, such as for building houses. Unless
they are stabilized, these areas may experience severe shaking or liquefaction of the ground
during a large earthquake.
Advantages to using landfills
Landfills are often the most cost-efficient way to dispose of waste, especially in countries like
the United States with large open spaces. While resource recovery and incineration both
require extensive investments in infrastructure, and material recovery also requires extensive
manpower to maintain, landfills have fewer fixed or ongoing costs, allowing them to compete
favorably. In addition, landfill gas can be upgraded to natural gas, land fill gas utilization
which is a potential revenue stream.
Social and environmental impact
Poorly managed landfills have the potential of causing a number of issues. Infrastructure
disruption, such as damage to access roads by heavy vehicles, may occur. Pollution of the
local environment, such as contamination of groundwater or aquifers or soil contamination
may occur, as well. Pollution of local roads and water courses from wheels on vehicles when
they leave the landfill can be significant and can be mitigated by wheel washing systems.

Methane is naturally generated by decaying organic wastes in a landfill. It is a potent

greenhouse gas, and can itself be a danger because it is flammable and potentially explosive.
In properly managed landfills, gas is collected and utilized. This could range from simple
flaring to landfill gas utilization.
Poorly run landfills may become nuisances because of vectors such as rats and flies which
can cause infectious diseases. The occurrence of such vectors can be mitigated through the
use of daily cover. Other potential issues include wildlife disruption, dust, odor, noise
pollution, and reduced local property values.

Waste treatment plant

RELEVANCE OF PROJECT
Improper solid waste management (SWM) is a major environmental problem in Ernakulam
due to the absence of modern engineered landfills, therefore posing serious contamination
risk to both groundwater and surface water. Solid waste disposal by landfill poses a threat to
groundwater and surface water quality through the formation of polluting liquids known as
leachate. Leachate generally comes into existence during dissolution in the in the landfill. The
environments can be polluted by the leachate, which occurs at the end of decayed solid waste,
mixed with precipitates of surface water. As a result, surface water collection system (rivers,
creeks, lakes), subsurface collection system (groundwater reservoirs) and solid system
(different soil layers) have been seriously polluted by this Leachate.
The contaminations of soil, water and air with heavy metals even at low concentrations are
known to have potential impact on environment and human health. These metals also pose a
long-term risk to groundwater and ecosystem in general. Therefore, this research work is
aimed to assess the closed dumpsite and its impact on the surface and groundwater within the
vicinity of the closed dumpsite. This work will provide basis for further actions to be taken
on the closed dumpsite which justifies the reason for the work.

LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Assessment of a closed dumpsite and its impact on surface and groundwater integrity: a
case of oke afa dumpsite, lagos, nigeria
Salami L,Fadayini M.O.&Madu C they said in their paper that Landfills are one of the
sources of groundwater and soil pollution due to the production of Leachate and
transportation of the contamination to farther points in the ecosystem. The contaminations
of soil, water and air with heavy metals even at low concentrations are known to have
potential impact on environment and human health. Leachate generally comes
into existence during dissolution in the in the landfill.

2. Assessment of groundwater contamination by leachate near a municipal solid waste

landfill
Aderemi Adeolu , Oriaku Ada V, Adewumi Gbenga A and Otitoloju Adebayo A said in their
paper that Wastes placed in landfills are subject to either groundwater underflow or
infiltration from precipitation and as water percolates through the waste, it picks up a variety
of inorganic and organic compounds, flowing out of the wastes to accumulate at the bottom
of the landfill. The resulting contaminated water is termed leachate and can percolate
through the soil. Leachate composition is primarily a function of the age of the landfill and
the degree of waste stabilization.
3. Municipal Solid Waste and its Relation with Groundwater Contamination in Lahore,
Pakistan
from Akhtar Malik Muhammad and Tang Zhonghua in their paper said that Due to high
population growth, urbanization, agricultural practices (excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides
and other chemicals), industrialization, poor sanitation services, unplanned solid waste
management and improper water consumption practices has affected both water resources
quality and quantity.
4. Impact of solid waste effect on ground water and soil quality nearer to pallavaram solid
waste landfill site in chennai From the paper written by N.Raman and D.Sathiya Narayanan
we came to understand that heavy metals are particularly insidious and lead to the
phenomenon of bioaccumulation and biomagnifications.

5.Groundwater Contamination Due to Municipal Solid Waste Disposal A GIS Based Study in Erode
City

From the journal written by N.Rajkumar , T.Subramani , L.ElangoHigh we knew,

concentration of sodium and calcium in groundwater is due to weathering of silicate
minerals. The lower concentration of potassium is, however, due to its greater resistance to
weathering and its fixation in the formation of clay minerals.
6. Impact of solid waste disposal on ground water quality near Gazipur dumping site, Delhi,
India
from the paper given by Pushpendra Singh Bundela, Anjana Sharma, Akhilesh Kumar
Pandey, Priyanka Pandey and Abhishek Kumar Awasthi we came to know that in addition to
leachate , uncontrolled microbial action may result in release of more toxic elements which
were not present in a free or reactive form in the waste.
From the

above journals we understand test for chlorine determination, sulphate ,pH,

manganese , test for heavy metals and biochemical oxygen demand are to be done inorder to
analyse the water sample.

OBJECTIVES
1) To undergo chemical analysis of surface and underground water samples near
Brahmapuram waste plant
2) To undergo bacteriological analysis of surface and underground water samples near
Brahmapuram waste plant
3) To analyze the effect of seasonal variations in the water quality
4) To assess the impacts of dumpsite on surface water and ground water quality

SCOPE
Brahmapuram waste plant is situated in Kakkanad, Ernakulam district, Kerala.

METHODOLOGY

Time of conducting

The samples are collected during summer season as well as in monsoon season. It is expected
that the formation of leachate will be more in monsoon season.

Sampling of water sample

During operation of the site, different types of wastes ranging from organic to inorganic,
hazardous and non hazardous were dumped in the site. The wastes were dumped without
separation. In an effort to investigate the impact of the closed dumpsite on groundwater
quality, five sampling sites were selected within 600m from the dumpsite where samples
were taken. Groundwater and surface water samples were collected using 1 litre plastic
bottles which had been cleaned by soaking in 10% nitric acid and rinsed with distilled water,
at the sampling site as well, the bottles were rinsed three times with groundwater to be
sampled prior to filling and the bottles were labelled GW1 to GW5.

Water quality tests

All normal tests like Chloride content, sulphate content, pH, alkalinity and hardness of water
are conducted. BOD/COD tests are also conducted.
It is expected that the concentrations of contaminates should decrease as the distance from
the dumpsite increases

Landfill

Sample collection

Sub surface water

Surface water

5 locations nearby
Brahmapuram plant

Kadambrayar &
Chithrapuzha River

Chemical
analysis test

Flow Chart Showing Methodology

Drinking Water Standards Fixed By ICMR

STANDARD

RECOMMENDED
MAXIMUM

PERMISSIBLE
CONCENTRATION

5mg/l

25mg/l

Colour

5mg/l

25mg/l

Odour

Nothing disagreeable

Nothing disagreeable

7-8.5

6.5-9.2

Calcium

75mg/l

200mg/l

Magnesium

50mg/l

150mg/l

Iron

0.3mg/l

1mg/l

Manganese

0.1mg/l

0.5mg/l

Copper

1.0mg/l

3.0mg/l

Sulphate

200mg/l

400mg/l

Phenols

0.001mg/l

0.002mg/l

Fluorides

1.0mg/l

2.0mg/l

Nitrates

20mg/l

50mg/l

0.2mg/l

Chromium

0.05mg/l

Cyanide

0.01mg/l

Lead

0.1mg/l

Selenium

0.05mg/l

Bacteriological

1 coli form per 100 ml

Physical:
Turbidity

Chemical:
pH, units

Toxic:
Arsenic

TIME SCHEDULE

Phase 1: Collecting the samples by the first week of November 2015

Phase 2: Conducting chemical analysis
Phase 3: Collecting the samples during summer season
Phase 4: Conducting chemical analysis

COST ESTIMATE
Approximate Rs.3000\-

REFERENCES

1. Adjia, R. Fezeu, M.W.L., Tehatchueng, J. B. Sorho, S., Echevarria, G.

and Ngassoum, M. B. (2008). Long term effect of municipal solid waste
amendment on soil heavy metal content of sites used for periurban
agriculture in Ngaoundere, Cameroon. African Journal of Environment
Science and Technology, 2 (12): 412-421
2. Salami, L. and Susu, A.A. (2013). Leachate characterization and
assessment of groundwater quality: A case of Soluos dumpsite, Lagos,
Nigeria. Greener Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology
Research 3 (2): 42-61.
3. Awasthi, A.K. (2012). Physicochemical analysis of ground water near
municipal solid waste dumping sites in Jabalpur. International Journal of
plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences, 2(1): 217-222.
4. Taiwo, A.M. Adeogn, A.O. Olatunde, K.A. and Adegbite, K.I. Analysis of
groundwater quality of hand-dug wells in Peri-Urban area of Obantoko,
Abeokuta for selected physico-chemical parameters. Pecific Journal of
Science and Technology, 2011, 12(1): 527-534.
5. Kumar, N. and Sinha, D.K. (2010). Drinking water quality management
through correlation studies among various physic- chemical parameters.
International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 1(2): 253-259.
6. Yadau, R. R. and Jauswal, D. K. (2011). Two dimensional analytical
solutions for point source contaminants transport in semi-infinite
homogenerousponus medium. Journal of Engineering Science and
Technology. 6 (4): 459-468.